Google Play Store Bans Crypto-Mining Apps And Cleans Up Others

Google has followed up on earlier announcements to further regulate apps available from its Play Store by banning cryptocurrency mining apps, and making a plethora of other prohibitions in other genres including those with disruptive advertising, sexual content in childrens apps, and those that purport to facilitate the selling of firearms and explosives.

Apps that deal with the management of cryptocurrency such as the Coinbase app, for example, are still allowed.

Determined enthusiasts will also still be able run installers directly to their Android devices from other sources, if they bypass the Play Store. Google has limited control over what people do to their devices outside of the Play Store protected environment.

In another overdue restriction, Google has also begun removing “repetitive” apps that in effect are merely clones of apps that already exist within the Play Store.

Children

Finally, Google is also removing apps that promote sexual content on apps designed for children.“Apps that include content that sexualizes minors are subject to immediate removal from the Store. Apps that appeal to children but contain adult themes are not allowed,” the Google statement reads. “If we become aware of content with child sexual abuse imagery, we will report it to the appropriate authorities and delete the Google Accounts of those involved with the distribution.”